MUMBAI, INDIA, August 1, 2017 (DNA India): The spiritual and social traditions of Ganesh utsav will be on display with the state government planning to use these celebrations to attract domestic and foreign tourists to Maharashtra. This will include tours for visitors covering iconic Ganesh mandals in cities like Mumbai and Pune and events at locations like the Asiatic Society of Mumbai precinct to unveil the history and cultural significance of the festival.
Jaykumar Rawal, minister for tourism and employment guarantee scheme (EGS) told DNA that the state tourism department will market the festival through initiatives like special buses and Ganpati walks for tourists in Mumbai and Pune to cover iconic mandals. Rawal, who held a meeting with BMC and tourism department officials recently, added that the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) will collaborate with the BMC to set up an enclosure for foreign tourists to watch the Ganesh immersion procession at Girg Chowpaty. The enclosure will be able to accommodate 200 tourists at one go in batches of an hour.